An exhibition called 'The Romania-Spain relationship reflected in the media. A bilateral historical perspective', an anniversary project dedicated to the 145th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, was inaugurated on Wednesday by the Romanian Embassy in Spain in El Retiro Park in Madrid, Paseo de Coches.

It is organised jointly with the Romanian Cultural Institute in Madrid, with support from the National News Agency AGERPRES and can be visited free of charge throughout July 26.

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The opening event was attended by the senior official for European Affairs, Middle East and Africa with Romania's Foreign Ministry Clara Staicu, and senior official for the European Union with Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, EU and Cooperation Fernando Mariano Sampedro Marcos, together with representatives of the Spanish authorities, ambassadors and members of the diplomatic corps accredited in Madrid, as well as of the academic and cultural environment and of the Romanian community of Spain.

In her speech, Staicu underlined the importance of the anniversary, 'which gives us the opportunity not only to look at the history we share, but also to reflect on what we have built together and on the future that we want to build for future generations.'

The Romanian official highlighted the fact that Romania and Spain are close partners inside the European Union and NATO, sharing the same democratic values and the conviction that the current great challenges can be addressed only through cooperation.

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At the same time, she underlined the importance of cultural dialogue, saying that 'people and culture bring the two countries closer together.'

In his turn, Sampedro Marcos highlighted the close cooperation between Romania and Spain, both bilaterally and multilaterally, mentioning their the shared historical and cultural roots. He said that 'the relationship between Spain and Romania demonstrates the strength of a common project based on trust, solidarity and the will to move forward together.'

The official mentioned the solidarity of the two nations in the face of the security challenges generated by Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and recalled the contribution of the Spanish soldiers deployed in Romania to the security of NATO's eastern flank.

He also referred to the role of the Romanian community in Spain, one of the largest and best integrated, in strengthening bilateral relations.

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The charge d'affaires ad interim of the Romanian Embassy in Spain, Raluca Mihaila, spoke about the role of the exhibition in preserving the shared memory and in strengthening the ties between the two countries: 'The anniversary project that we inaugurate today tells the story of the relationship between Romania and Spain in a special way. Not through treaties or diplomatic documents, but through the eyes of the media. The media are, in many ways, the living memory of a society. For almost a century and a half, newspapers and magazines in Romania and Spain have reported on official visits, historical moments, institutional cooperation, cultural exchanges, sports performances, economic relations, people-to-people ties and the European values that unite us.'

Structured around twenty thematic panels, the exhibition offers visitors the opportunity to discover the main moments that marked the developments in the Romanian-Spanish relationship.

It brings together historical documents on the beginnings of diplomatic relations reflected in the press, articles dedicated to political, economic and cultural cooperation, Romania's accession to the European Union and NATO, as well as to the remarkable contribution of the Romanian community in Spain.

A special place is reserved for culture, because the closeness between the two peoples has been cultivated over time by artists, writers, musicians and intellectuals who have built lasting bridges between Romania and Spain.

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The year 2026 marks the 145th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Romania and Spain. On June 23, 1881, during the reigns of His Majesty King Carol I of Romania and His Majesty King Alfonso XII of Spain, the two nations established diplomatic ties at the level of legation, by presenting in Bucharest the letters of accreditation by Pedro de Aladro y Kastriota, in Spain's charge d'affaires ad interim. AGERPRES (RO - editing by: Daniel Popescu; EN - writing by: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu)

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